city girl

first, erin (the new mrs. denniston!) is back from her and chris' super exotic honeymoon (read: trip of a lifetime)! yaaaay!

second, she sent me these words of wisdom after reading about my conversation with her friend andy at her wedding.

quite fitting, no?

funny...i feel like i've always said this about texas. "you can take the girl out of texas, but you can't take the texas out of the girl!"

but it appears that i will also quite passionately defend new york city as one of the greatest places in the world. probably for forever.

which i suppose means i shall now always be a city girl.

ok. so maybe a city girl...with a lil texas sass!

thanks e! :)

Almost Time.

For Longhorn football!

This year I'm back in Texas for football season. (Wooo!) And this means weekend trips to Austin, and tailgating, and Texas / OU weekend at the fair and lots and lots of burnt orange.

So! I'm especially pumped about football season this year. So pumped in fact that I almost don't mind that my boys aren't even ranked as a top 10 team. Almost.

Oh did I mention the Longhorn Network? Pretty pumped about that too. So is my fellow Longhorn Matthew McConaughey.





It's almost time!
Hook 'em Horns!

a bridal shower {the first}

it's starting! it's starting! all sister's wedding-y fun!

leslee's very first bridal shower was a few weeks ago. it was a pretty brunchy shower at our sister-in-law berit's house. and it was quite the success!

muffins and fresh fruit and egg casseroles and cupcakes. oh my.


i mean, how cute are those monogrammed cupcakes?! surrounded by lil brownie bites that berit decorated herself. we love anything monogrammed. these were an especially sweet treat!


also loved the mimosas with dainty little strawberries. (nicely done cousin kenz!)


we played a funny little candy match game that i whipped up.

the saying - "post-wedding bank account"
the matching candy bar - "zero"
the winner - keith's mom

who upon receiving her zero candy bar responded, "no kidding..." and with a glance over at my mom "...should i give you half?"

bahahaha!

and of course there were presents! so many new kitchen things!


place settings, platters, mugs, white wine glasses, red wine glasses, cutting boards, knives, pitchers, mixers (one small, one large!), napkins, coasters, dish towels...whewwww this girl is going to be set in the kitchen!

wait, are we sure she knows what to do in a kitchen? kiiiidding les! kind of.


les and her hostesses + hostess helpers
mrs. ruth, sis-in-law berit, les, cousin mackenzie, and aunt cyndi
they're the best. (we missed you ash!!)



love!


with keith's sweet sister kami and future mother-in-law (!) kim.


pretty bridesmaids. sarah and kristen. all the way from new braunfels and austin for a weekend-of-fun!


pretty high school friends. audrey, tyler, les, nicki and brittany.
i've known these girls forever. they're so grown up! when did that happen?


the bride-to-be gets 2 rings! one has lots of sparkle, one just tastes yummy...and might be a lil bit sticky. :)


happy first bridal shower pretty sister! let the wedding festivities begin!

Accidentally front row

The Band Perry came to Dallas a few weeks ago for a free concert.

A gchat convo...

Lindsey: lauren. have you heard about this free Band Perry concert next week?
LJ: yes! next monday? at gilley's?
Lindsey: yes. i kind of hate that it's on a monday. the doors open at 7pm.
LJ: true...monday's are kinda bad for concerts. but we could do dinner first.
Lindsey: we'd have to.
LJ: so how do we get these free tickets? wait...do we need a code?
Lindsey: no i don't think so. did you check the site?
LJ: yes. we need a code. it's really too bad. bc now i've convinced myself that i need to go.

And then a text message a few days later...

Linds: still wanna do that concert next monday? i got tickets!
LJ: ummm, YES YES! let's do it.

And so began Monday Fun-Day. Complete with guns and boots. (don't judge me...105 degrees is much too hot for boots. these ladies have serious dedication.)


Who says everything is bigger in Texas?


By some strange turn of events, we ended up in the very front row. We're still a bit unsure as to exactly how this happened...

All I know is that we swipped our IDs, received very official wristbands (detailing our full names, time of entry, venue name...very official), were asked if we were all together, told to hold up a minute for special seats by a very enthusiastic man with a bandana, were ushered through a blocked off section...that happened to be riiiight in front of the stage.

And there we were! Accidentally front row!


Where we got a good close up of the set list. Very important to know what's coming next.



And then for more surprises.

The Band Perry was going to be performing this very show for Jimmy Kimmel Live. So that was even more cool.


I mean, they said Jimmy Kimmel Live. But they didn't quite clarify if the concert was airing live, or if it was being taped for a later live show. It was quite confusing. But we cheered on cue like they told us to anyway. We were front row after all. Front row comes with cheering obligations.






We left Gilley's completely in love with those Perry's. That Kimberly has some serious sass. We're fans. Of her...and of her sass.



They were pretty great live. Both from the front row and from their pre-recorded performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Also, according to Linds..."you guys can't believe magical tv words like 'live'..."

:)

A Happy New York Wedding Weekend

I know, I know, it's only been a few weeks since I left NYC...definitely too soon for a reunion trip. HOWEVER.

Certain events are worth making the trip back for, even when you feel like you just left. And this trip was absolutely worth it.

Erin -- Friend, Gator, Boozy Bruncher, Karaoke Queen, Upper West Sider.

Married New Jersey-ian, Air Guitar Pro and Rock Band King -- Chris

And I just couldn't miss their New Yorky celebration!

I met my world traveler friend Angie at the Newark Airport on Thursday night. Quite perfectly timed, I might add. 3rd visit in 7 months! We are getting so good at this.

Oh hi NYC, I have certainly missed you!!!

After a day of mani / pedi's, shoe shopping (for Angie, not me. duh!), SoHo lunching with Bethany and the girls from work, and wandering through the West Village (read: happiness), it was time for the Rehearsal Dinner.

Rehearsal dinner / welcome party NYC style.

It was at Boat Basin on the UWS. Right on the Hudson. So perfect!

The bride-to-be was glowing and gorgeous. As expected!

Followed by a full-blown after party at the Hudson Hotel. On the Penthouse Terrace. With dancing and singing and much more celebrating.

Here's the view...

My goodness I love this city.

And I love these girls!

Even if we can't speak much during football season...or basketball season...or during the Heisman ceremony. Silly Gators.

Someday we shall meet at the National Championship and it shall be epic! :)

Saturday was spent brunching and catching up with my favorites. And lounging at 9A.

Finally got a table at Tipsy Parson in Chelsea. Me and Bethany have been wanting to go since it opened. Soooo worth the wait. I highly recommend. Do it.

Another former New Yorker friend Michelle - you know, the 3x NY Marathoner? Yes, that one. Michelle met us at 9A juuuust in time toss her bag down and run out the door for the wedding...straight into a summer rainstorm. Bust.

Quintessential New York Moment #1

Angie: Well crap. What are we going to do about this rain? It's going to ruin my hair. That can't happen.

LJ: Agreed. Taxi. Get it.

Michelle: (running across Broadway in her heels trying to shield her hair from rain and wave down a cab at the same time) Taaaaaxiiiiii!

Angie & LJ follow suit...also in heels

Angie: It's just like the old days!

Random man sitting on a Broadway bench laughing at 3 twentysomething girls running across Broadway wearing their heels in the rain trying to hail a cab

LJ: (After safely settling into dry cab) Can we just pause for a moment and laugh about what just happened?!

Angie: And how 'bout that man who was laughing at us?

Michelle: Gotta' love New York.

Upon arriving to the park, it was still raining.
And we had one umbrella to share. We paused underneath a large tree in hopes that the rain would slow down a bit. No luck.

But Angie did find a hot dog cart guy and got herself a hot dog before the wedding. Classic.

When the rain didn't slow up, we decided to take our chances. Huddled underneath Angie's round-the-world beat up umbrella, we power walked / skipped to The Boathouse. In the rain. We are so New York, it's not even funny.

Despite the less than ideal rainy conditions, we arrived at The Boathouse in plenty of time to wait in excitement for the much anticipated ceremony to begin.

And oh my. How quickly we forgot about that pesky rain. We were at The Boathouse! In Central Park! For our friend's wedding! Eeeee!

Erin was the most stunning bride. She and Chris were beaming. Nonstop.
Well, except when she cried through their vows. Then I cried. And everyone cried. Because it was just so sweet! And perfect!

After the ceremony, we were encouraged to "Eat. Drink. Be Married." during cocktail hour. Where we also enjoyed the crab appy's. And the tuna. And the shrimp. Ok, so the food was good.

We took our seats at the Meatpacking District table for the reception. Surrounded by Erin and Angie's super fun Tri Delt sorority sisters and their men.

Quintessential New York Moment #2

Andy (one of the Delta's husbands): I mean, New York is pretty great. But I don't think it's a great place to live. Only to visit.

LJ: Why do you think that?

Andy: It just seems like it's more work than it's worth. Don't you think?

LJ: Oh Andy. You're talking to the wroooong girls. We both lived here for a very long time. We love it here very much.

Michelle: Yes. It's the best place in the world. It's worth it.

LJ: It's absolutely worth it.

And then they arrived! Mr. and Mrs. Denniston!


There was amazing food. And soooo much of it. There was an amazing band. Who covered everything from Journey to Adele to Black Eyed Peas. Their microphones sparkled. Loved them.

There was all kinds of dancing. All kinds of laughing. All kinds of silliness on the dance floor.

Cheers to Mr. & Mrs. Denniston!

A very happy New York wedding weekend.

One that this former New Yorker, and current Texan, is ohsoglad she was able to experience.

Lots of love to E and Chris!

It's time.

To talk about the heat.

It's been 38 days since I moved back to Texas.

And every single one of those 38 days has hit temperatures over 100 degrees. Usually 90 degrees by 8am, and holding strong at 100 degrees till midnight. Seriously.

Seems we're reaching all kinds of records this year, triple-digit 100+ degree heat for 38 straight days now. We're set to break the 1980 heat wave records over the next few weeks.

Days 100 degrees or higher in 2011: 44
Consecutive days 100 degrees or higher in 2011: 38

Days over 100 degrees in 1980: 69
Consecutive days over 100 in 1980: 42

The 5 day forecast this week looks a little something like this.


And the 10 day forecast...well, it's the same.


Brilliant.

Who in their right mind moves to Texas in July?!?

Apparently I do.

I am thankful for central air conditioning and ceiling fans at home. And the AC in my car. And at my office. And in every single store / restaurant / building in this great state that keeps me from melting.

In the midst of this record-setting Texas heat wave, I surely do not miss those NY sauna-style July-August subway rides. I don't miss the humidity that makes my hair a messy mess all summer. And I don't miss walking into a stuffy apartment with no air circulation.

But I might be dreaming of last January. With blizzards, biting cold, infinity scarves and puffy coats.